Drug Czar Clarification: ‘Smoked Marijuana’ Is Dangerous And Has No Medicinal Value?
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August 8, 2009
In an attempt to clarify an apparent gaffe made a few weeks ago to California media stating that “marijuana is dangerous and has no medicinal value”, drug czar Gil Kerlikowske in a new interview with his hometown media in Seattle has only slightly, almost imperceptibly, modified his remarks by now implying that somehow how ‘smoked‘ medical cannabis is not a legitimate and effective drug delivery method:
When asked about his comments a few weeks ago Kerlikowske told KOMO news “I certainly said that legalization is not in the president’s vocabulary nor is it in mine. But the other question was in reference to smoked marijuana. And as we know, the FDA has not determined that smoked marijuana has a value, and this is clearly a medical question that should be answered by the medical community.”
KOMO also reports:
Kerlikowske’s stand on legalizing marijuana for everyone is more clear-cut. The Office of National Drug Control Policy, by law, actively works against legalizing drugs.
Kerlikowske takes on last jab at cannabis by continuing his predecessor’s proclivity to mislead the media and public by claiming “You know from the University of Washington, the number one call from young people for treatment here, after alcohol, is marijuana. So I’m not seeing the benefit to society with legalization here.”
Number one, cannabis is not legal in Washington state, or anywhere in the US, 2) youth in Washington, and all around the US, after being ensnared by the hundreds of thousands per year by cannabis prohibition laws enforced by the criminal justice system (or university police), are provided with the Hobson’s Choice of either going to jail or so-called ‘treatment’.
Mr. Kerlikowske should cease employing this rhetorical straw man as he is intelligent enough to know its inaccuracy, but continues to adopt the failed rhetoric of prior hardliner drug czars Gen. Barry McCaffrey and John Walters, who consistently made the same claims during their tenure, and lost credibility every time they continued to propound such obviously misleading propaganda.
Kerlikowske’s latest unfortunate remarks affirm cannabis law reformers have much work left to do! Maybe our good drug czar should call actor Patrick Swayze and ask him ‘if he is benefiting from smoked medical cannabis?’
Patrick Swayze, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer over a year ago, is using medical marijuana to relieve the pain of his last days of chemotherapy.
According to a family insider, Swayze, 56, has found that smoking marijuana helps with his nausea, inability to sleep, and anxiety. The insider noted on the actor’s slight weight gain as well as adding that he (Swayze) feels more “normal than he has in months.”
Pictures have surfaced of Swayze out with his brother Donnie looking much healthier than he had weeks before.
“Patrick was rapidly losing weight because he couldn’t keep good down. He was so weak, he needed help getting around,” the source told the magazine.
“Marijuana works extremely well for many cancer patients. It helps fight nausea from chemotherapy treatments and may alleviate anorexia or loss of appetite,” Dr. Ron Kennedy of Santa Rosa, CA, said of the situation.
116 Responses to “Drug Czar Clarification: ‘Smoked Marijuana’ Is Dangerous And Has No Medicinal Value?”
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Like I said before, our main concern isn’t convincing the drug czar or anyone else that marijuana is safe. Our concern is letting people know how prohibition is bad for them, whether or not they are smokers themselves.
Once we have the agnostic group on our side, any legalization ballots will win by a landslide.
I wish they would just pull thier heads out of thier asses! It doesnt matter, smoked, vaporized,eatin, drank…whatever.People will NOT stop using cannabis just because there is a law against it. Our leaders are wasting our time..in the form of taxes. Wasting resoures that would be better used else where. Wasting lives around the world. Tearing families apart. All for a plant that has killed no one, nor can they stop anyone from using.
I would suggest to our leaders this… STOP THIS BULL! If you plan to have a career in the political arena in the future… STOP THIS MADNESS!
So they say its bad for you..well.. I got a word.. Its called lying. Lying can be addictive and most deffinitly can be bad for you. I suggest our leaders STOP LYING! Not just about cannabis, but all issues! ITS BAD FOR YOU AND EFFECTS ME!
First they ignore you
then they ridicule you
then they fight you
then we win.
They have gone passed the inore part and are at theridicule part. So..we are they going to start the fight?
Cannabis helps my tinnitus. It brings the ringing down enough in both my ears and makes it more tolerable.
No Medical Value? ha what a joke this administration is.
vote all them out.
I actually see this as a positive event. The fact that the Drug Czar backtracked and seemed to imply an admission that non-smoked marijuana may have medicinal value is a step forward. I think he, Obama and other political figures realize that marijuana is OK but do not feel like they could say so or else they would upset the soccer moms not to mention the pharmaceutical companies.
The whole Obama administration approval rating is going down fast.
I bet the dirty dancing swasey didnt think he would be a marijuana promoter….thanks patrick! sorry for your misfortune.good luck
Why does the media keep listening to law enforcement agents opinions on medical issues?
Do they ask the Surgeon General for advice on combatting gang violence in thier neighborhoods?
Perhaps what Tristan was referring to was:
“almost imperceptibly, modified his remarks by now implying that somehow how ‘smoked‘”
The somehow how ‘smoked’ doesn’t really go together. Drop the how after the somehow.
And ….
“Patrick was rapidly losing weight because he couldn’t keep good down.
he couldn’t keep Food down, NOT good down.
Respectfully submitted because I Love NORML too!
Yet another Corporate Shill who toes the Prohibition II (War on Drugs) party line.
Drug companies already make a synthetic THC pill called Marinol, which has been available by prescription for a number of years. It has been prescribed by doctors to help chemotherapy patients overcome the usual nausea symptoms so that hey might be encouraged to eat. It is very expensive, and has a major drawback — chemotherapy patients suffering from nausea cannot keep anything they swallow down, and wind up regurgitating the pill before it can have a positive effect. It also comes in very limited dosages, so it is possible for the patient to take more (or less) than they need.
On the other hand, natural medical marijuana can be smoked (or vaporized) — the THC crosses the boundary in the lungs directly into the bloodstream. The medicinal effects occur much more rapidly, within minutes instead of 30 minutes, and the patient can self-medicate to the extent needed to counter the specific episode of nausea. A side benefit, for those who have access to medical marijuana in their state (now up to 13 states), the price of the natural medication is only 20% – 25% of the pharmaceutical synthetic.
Think that Big Pharma or the US Government does not have a stake in maintaining Prohibition II? The government themselves holds a patent on the use of marijuana as medicine. Why would Big Pharma permit citizens to “grow their own medicine”, when they can otherwise make millions of dollars from their synthetic product? These are only some of the reasons why the Establishment cannot allow the end of the “War on Drugs”. Think about the funding for the DEA, for overseas Military anti-drug operations, of the private prison industry in the USA, and of the extremely profitable “Asset Forfeiture” laws that bring billions of dollars, tax-free, into police departments all across this country.
Just wait until Obama’s reelection campaign comes up. Then he will have to face these questions, and the propaganda continually being spewed by his Drug Czar. Of course, he might lie his way through the questions as every politician seems to do these days, but he also must understand that this issue is going to have a MAJOR impact on his reelection. Politicians seem to have a hard time accepting, or admitting to this very fact. It might not be the biggest factor, but with over 40% of Americans now favoring outright legalization, IT IS A BIG ISSUE. I assume this percentage is only going to grow in the coming years before his reelection campaign starts up. He is already pissing people off with Health Care and his continuous spending of trillions of dollars, so why not piss off the 40%+ people who want Marijuana legalized? I mean, it seems like a good political strategy to me, don’t you think?
Governmental doublethink at its finest rears its Orwellian head again…
“You know from the University of Washington, the number one call from young people for treatment here, after alcohol, is marijuana. So I’m not seeing the benefit to society with legalization here.”
How can marijuana be the number one call AFTER anything else on the same list? Either it is number one, or number two. It cannot be both at the same time…but then again, 2+2=5, doesn’t it? Way to twist the rhetoric, Gil.
Kerlikowske said he will not change the discussion after saying SMOKED marijuana has no medicinal value. I think in this new era of anti-smoking, Kerlikowske has an easy out. He of course has to keep repeating his intention that mj will not be legalized, but really, Obama has more or less opened the floodgates and dispensaries are popping up in many places.
so do cigarettes and alcohol so whats your point?
- Since Kerlikowske “clarified” that “smoked”
marijuana has no “medical-value”, does that mean
that those who utilize edibles, tinctures and vaporizers will be left alone???
- As I’ve said MANY TIMES BEFORE,
the ONLY ROLE which the DEA and FDA ought to have
concerning cannabis, is to ensure its genuineness
and purity, if sold and marketed commercially.
THAT’S ALL!!!
PERIOD!!!
It’s a fucking God-Given PLANT!!!
And NOT EVEN a “poisonous” one, at that.
(To head-off another
“thought-terminating cliche”
before it’s ever uttered).
- Besides, there’s
“bigger fish to fry”,
pop-stars that die from using
non-scheduled, “hospital-only”
surgical-anaesthetics,
(id est, Diprivan™).
OBVIOULY THE MAN NEVER SAW A CHEMO PATIENT USE MARIJUANA TO KEEP MEDICINE AND FOOD DOWN AND TO MAINTAIN WEIGHT.,IF THESE ASSHOLES IN WASHINGTON EVER GOT OUT OF THE BELTWAY AIR ONCE IN AWHILE THEY MIGHT ACTUALLY EVOLVE BY LEARNING AND DOING POSSITIVE THINGS INSTEAD OF BULLYING EVERYONE AND CONTROLLING THEM WITH POWER AND LAWS THAT THEY USE TO BELITTLE THE AVERAGE GUY ON THE STREET.
Did anyone else catch what he said during the part about Michael Jackson? How it was a wake up call about pharmacuticals and that more peopel die each year of prescription drugs than gunshot wounds? Noooohhhh really? But yet he can’t say that there are any reported deaths at all from marijuana use. HYPOCRITE!!! Pharmacuticals, which kill more people a year than gunshot wounds is ok, but pot that kills no one is dangerous!!
The government is hillarious. Why do we elect these lower life forms?
i don’t know about the rest of you, but i am tired of being classified as a criminal simply due to what i do in my off time. i am a fully functional member of society. i don’t break any laws or hold any evils in my heart.
i want to smoke a fatty after work, but the police want to arrest me for it. then they want to go home and pop open their bottle of scotch while they sit back and get wasted. then the hungover judge comes in with a chip on his shoulder and fines the hell out of you or worse.
no line should be drawn on two chemicals as similar as THC and alchohol. i’ve never seen any evil spring from pot except the “illegit” business that exists. if officials want to take away the evils of pot, then HAVE to legalize it.(however meth, crack, heroin, etc need to be off the streets)
Hey Rebel with a cause i just read your response on the other blog. Let me first say your wisdom is sound and has indeed opend my mind and mellowed me out as a fat spiliff would. (which im enjoying) I read your response outloud to my wife while smokin one in the kitchen and we both agree that i have been a little war-mongery as of late. Im not bein a wise ass when i say there is a strong chance peace and truth will ovecome the corruption. But if it fails I and many more like me will be there to rise up. Because it goes far deeper than pot. Hmmmm a Health care mediator? Lemme ask you, whats your oppinion on the upcoming Gov run healthcare?
“Let the stories of MMJ Patients echoe through the Halls of Justice forever to silence the U.S. Policy on marijuana.”
All this, and today’s SFGate newspaper has a story about how all of our potential governor candidates are either cagey about legalization, or in the case of Jerry Brown, totally misleading folks by stating that legalization will make us all less competitive. Good lord. I read the article, and about died. So much fear out there.
So is he recognizing the medicinal value of marijuana in non-smoked forms?
This could be an angle to exploit
The medical community blows smoke up the Drug Czars ass but still he is in denial. Now it’s smoked marijuana for the man who has a FORKED TONGUE. The language of the government spreading REEFER MADNESS again. The INQUISITOR OF MARIJUANA PROHIBITION on a high roll that is going down hill as states change their marijuana laws for the better of the people. Pretty soon Obama will be appointing a new czar, a CANNABIS CZAR. What the hell, he has a czar for everything else in the government sectors. It sort of reminds me of that other country with all them czars that is involved with socialism and communism. Are we heading in that direction, or our we already there but under a different name. Call it what you want but it’s all the same bullshit, control of the masses by fear and propaganda and greed and retributions of the law.
These dweeb leaders of ours has not on honest bone in there bodies. They prove it daily.
what the fuck!!!!!!
smoked marijuana has no medical benefits.
classic propaganda tactics/.
how the fuck are they supposed to do studies when marijuana is schedule 1 drug?
glad they mentioned how his comments made a huge uproar in the communities. we need to keep the marijuana movement active. it’s good to see all the responses on NORML
Do any of these clowns who we call elected “leaders” think that anybody does or does not smoke weed because the government says it is illegal? The only thing that legalization will affect is where the money goes.
Under legalization, the money would flow to legitimate businesses and public treasuries. Under prohibition, the money flows to organized crime and terrorists. So who are our “leaders” representing?
Most citizens today view the government as a joke, and marijuana prohibition is a big reason why.
marijuana is way a benefit where anxiety is concerned.im a nervous wreck by the time i get home from work, thoughts are flyin at two hundred miles an hour. marijuana slows all that down (just enough) to a comfortable level that the rest of the day falls into place. dont tell me that their is no benefit with an all natural remedy. come on government, LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE WHO USE IT!
38 Drew…”PEOPLE WHO USE IT IN WORSHIPING GOD.”
Religious use is covered in the Religious Freedom Restoration Act./Rastafarian Defense. Genesists also use “Manna” as Holy Sacrament for CDXX Communion.
References: Genesis I:11,12 Genesis I:29,30,31
Genesis IX:3
THE MAN corrected himself to say “smoked” cannabis is dangerous. Agree or disgree…the human body/lung was not made to accept smoke of any kind. Ask any fireman. Has anyone tried to vaporize a Marlboro Red.
Look! There’s a “power” that tells the whole world what they’re going to do and say. I still agree with
Kerlikowski…Science will determine its value. Isn’t that what we are banking on. My God…the man lifted the toilet seat on that one, before he pissed on it…which his job description requires him to do. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again…”The man will obey the law…either way.” If the law says it’s legal…he will enforce its legality.
hi
I am 53 and have been smoking on a daily basis since I was 15. I recently had a physical and a chest x_ray. Everything is just fine. I told the doctor I smoked pot and he replied.”so do I”. We discussed it for several minutes and could not conclude that pot is harmful in any way.
Just because a plant has medical value doesn’t mean that it is not risky to use for recreational purposes. Opium, for example has a hundred times the practical benefit as medicine than cannabis, but it is an extremely risky plant to apply recreationally. Let us quit wasting time with “medical marijuana” and return to the real problem which is people being prosecuted for simple possession of cannabis. The whole “medical marijuana” front is fake and does nothing to protect innocent users from the unjust attention of law enforcement. Once we do that, then “medical marijuana” can be available to anyone who thinks they need it without interference from some doctor.
I’ve done my part.
Does anyone else have any balls, because those who sit around bitching and moaning but don’t take action like this are part of the problem:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6qn508BfY8
I posted this link on a FEW NORML threads and I have not even been acknowledged!!!!!!!
PUT UP OR SHUT PEOPLE!
I “PUT UP”, now its your turn!!!
Hey Gil -o- buddie , Whats that sound ? WSSSSHHHHHHHHHSH ! Its 1/4 of America benifiting from smoked weed ! Dumb-ASS!
#79 Rebel with a cause Says:
August 9th, 2009 at 8:30 am
“…Has anyone tried to vaporize a Marlboro Red.”
RE: I am doing so as I type,
(Only because I don’t have any American Spirit
additive-free, organic tobacco to vape, at the moment).
- Anymore, I always vape tobacco when at home,
on the computer, watching television; only smoking
cigarettes IF in public, out of conveniece, UNTIL
I get a suitable, portable tobacco-vaporizer.
- Several years ago, RJR was test-marketing Eclipse®,
a cigarette designed to function as a vaporizer,
however, they really didn’t catch on, became increasingly
difficult to find, plus, I had my own objections to their cost
and use of aluminium as a heat-shielding material.
- I am very enthused about vaporizing tobacco vs. smoking it:
The taste is much cleaner, “peppery”, less tobacco is needed,
much more nicotine is delivered, and Marble-Row™ tobacco is
actually “tolerable” when vaped.
- Besides, why wait till emphysema sets in, literally hacking-up
bucketfuls of phlegm, like my late grandfather?
- Harm-reduction and greater-efficiency is the way!!!
TABLE OF VAPORIZATION TEMPERATURES
#72 Dizzle Says:
August 8th, 2009 at 11:14 pm
So is he recognizing the medicinal value
of marijuana in non-smoked forms?
“This could be an angle to exploit”
RE: For Shizzle, Dizzle!
- Edibles, tinctures, ointments, lozenges and
vaporization ought to be strongly emphasized.
- These were the primary-forms prior to 1937,
and can be again!
It’s not surprising that the Drug Czar can say what he wants and be believed by so many. Check out the comments on this article about student loans and note how many refer to “drug users” as if popping a Valium or slamming some brewskies do not catagorize someone as a drug user.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/07/drug-offenders-federal-student-aid-new/
kerli…. should lose his job for incompetence.
65 and have smoked since 1965…44 years .
Physical determined lungs are fine . Thus far no health issues .
Ray
20% to 30% of Obama supporters copped out after he accused them of hijacking his online town hall meetings…you know what I mean if you are one of those accused of it. This week the polls are reflecting his lack of our support!! Scratch our backs and we will yours it’s that simple sir really.
Hello drug czar puppet,
if the most deaths are coming from prescription drugs.
Why the big focus on marijuana? Why is marijuana still
illegal and why are people still persecuted for using
this “herb” when the real culprit and abuse is from big pharma drugs. Hmm. I guess cash money and greed is all the is left in this country. As long as you can make a buck. No matter the cost, that is fine. I saw some on you a bunch of greedy assholes run this country.
Thanks, Vlad. It would be great to do a commercial myself; unfortunately, I don’t have any actors. O woe is me.
I love it. Thank you so much NORML for helping to set these idiots straight. I love how he attributes his statement to a long hike in how weather. This movement has come as far as to have these career politicians renig on their ignorant statements. My belief is legalization is around the corner. And by that I mean 2010, yes we cannabis!
I get the feeling with this guy, that his stated beliefs/stances/ideologies directly coincide with the stage of drug rehabilitation his kid is going through and what he’s being taught at that particular time.
Seems to me the kid comes home and tells Drug Czar dad what he was taught recently in rehab. Drug Czar dad really believes this is a source for Real, inside, expert information — not clouded by us anti-prohibitionists.
So, he naturally incorporates it //scratch that//
So, he naturally BASIS his platform on whatever nonsense his kid comes home with. Hey after all, he IS getting better, right?
Just my unsubstantiated feeling, that’s all. However, I really do see the pattern here.
Re: Tristan/#1 comment:
[Editor's Note: What specific sentences do you have a problem with? Criticism without solutions is not very helpful.]
Probably the “Patrick was rapidly losing weight because he couldn’t keep good down. …”
If NORML needs a proofreader, I’m between jobs right now. Make me an offer.
[Editor's note: Thanks...the copy in question re Patrick Swayze was written by the National Enquirer, not NORML.]
Like Sun Tzu said, “Never attack an enemy on the high ground”.
Unfortunately the Govt. holds the high ground, with the; Media, Big Pharma, Alcohol and LOTS of OUR money(Tax dollars) to fight this “War on Drugs” with!
We need to gain the “high” ground back by Volunteering, holding signs, gaining signatures, finding a MASS of people to gather at your respective capitols, and in Washington D.C., and writing your representatives.
It’s time to take back “OUR” choices and RIGHTS. The only way it will happen is with work and support of this JUST cause. Quality of life is a “RIGHT” not something that and is taken from people. Especially in a “Free Society”. How funny that sounds with all the favorable “slants” big money gets you. Free, indeed.?.
Just one more thing.
Before we can say anything bad about “this” person, or “that” person(i.e. our elected officials, and the ones they appoint) we must first:
Find someone who will truly champion our cause(good luck). Without this we can only choose between a shit sandwich, and a douche… Tee Hee.
Hold that person accountable by VOICING and writing them daily.
seriously norml, get an editor that can read. i’m all for the anti-prohibition movement & it saddens me that 3 paragraphs of copy can be published with so many mistakes. it especially saddens me that the editor has time to reply to a comment regarding said mistakes but no time to re-read the article he let be published.
[Editor's note: NORML's staff can read just fine. Again, the copy was from the National Enquirer, not NORML.]
ADDENDUM TO Post #86:
Since the most common
Thought-terminating cliché
of so-called “drug-warriors” is
the phrase,
“SMOKED marijuana is NOT MEDICINE”,
- Let’s “EIGHTY-SIX’ their favorite
“pet-phrase” BEFORE they ever mention it!!!
- Why should ANY OF US so effing-stubbornly
insist on clinging exclusively to smoking???
(Only to further-perpetuate the
“stoney-stereotype” that
the only means of utilizing the plant-form
is pyrolytically…),
…and thus initiating their next T.T.C,
(“there’s no need for the plant,
there’s a pill”…).
- Granted, those who have access to
higher-quality medical-grade / food-grade cannabis,
(such as Patrick Swayze, or anyone in medi-cann
friendly California-locales),
are inhaling LESS carcinogens than if they smoke it,
(by virtue of the herb’s higher-concentration
of essential-oils vs. inert plant-matter).
- HOWEVER, this is even more reason to utilize
smokeless methods, (such as edibles),
since it’s “food-grade”,
(and not moldy, “perfumigated”,
gas-tank-flavored “Mexi-schwag”!!!)
YES,
- Let’s DO exploit the
NON-SMOKING ANGLE
for all it’s worth!!!
FIGURATIVELY…
Our NON-SMOKING gun…!!!
ADDENDUM TO Post #86:
Since the most common
Thought-terminating cliché
of so-called “drug-warriors” is
the phrase,
“SMOKED marijuana is NOT MEDICINE”,
- Let’s “EIGHTY-SIX’ their favorite
“pet-phrase” BEFORE they ever mention it!!!
- Why should ANY OF US so effing-stubbornly
insist on clinging exclusively to smoking???
(Only to further-perpetuate the
“stoney-stereotype” that
the only means of utilizing the plant-form
is pyrolytically…),
…and thus initiating their next T.T.C,
(“there’s no need for the plant,
there’s a pill”…).
- Granted, those who have access to
higher-quality medical-grade / food-grade cannabis,
(such as Patrick Swayze, or anyone in medi-cann
friendly California-locales),
are inhaling LESS carcinogens WHEN / IF they smoke it,
(by virtue of the herb’s higher-concentration
of essential-oils vs. inert plant-matter).
- HOWEVER, this is even more reason to utilize
smokeless methods, (such as edibles),
since it’s “food-grade”,
(and not moldy, “perfumigated”,
gas-tank-flavored “Mexi-schwag”!!!)
YES,
- Let’s DO exploit the
NON-SMOKING ANGLE
for all it’s worth!!!
FIGURATIVELY…
Our NON-SMOKING gun…!!!